(May 24, 2016) The Riverview Ford Season Opener, coupled with Kids Day, was a smashing success.  No there weren’t a lot of wrecks, but the weather was picture perfect, there were lots of cars, the racing was great and there was an awesome crowd. What more could you ask for? After the long off-season, we’re finally back in the Geary Woods with an incredible season of racing on the horizon. 

 

You gotta love short track racin at 660!

 

There were lots of story lines on Sunday. Rob Raynes and Ryan Messer served notice in street stock and sportsman that they are forces to be reckoned with. We had almost 20 Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stocks in the pits, including six or seven rookies. And we had the return of some old favourites.

Walking through the pits on Sunday, I stopped in my tracks when I saw an incredible sight over by the tree line. I thought I was having a flashback from the nineties when to my surprise I laid eyes on Bradley Logan’s red number 37! But Logan hasn’t all of a sudden come out of retirement. The three-time Martins Home Heating Sportsman champ is back, but he’s the crew chief for his son Jacob.Bradley Logan, one of the all-time greats at Speedway 660, is back in his familiar pit stall in the Geary Woods. His son Jacob is piloting the 37 and it is great to see that car back on the track.

Speaking of Father & Son acts, Glenn Rasmussen is back in his old stomping grounds too. The four-time Re/Max Group Four Realty Pro Stock champ has his 15 year old son piloting the Big Black Dodge. Ian, who is only 15, is eager to learn from one of the best drivers ever to suit up at 660. His Dad dominated pro stock racing here for many years.The “Big Black Dodge” from New Denmark is back in action. Ian Rasmussen is the new wheel man. There was a time when his Dad was almost unbeatable at Canada’s Fastest Short Track.

Shawn and Dustin Tucker are back in the Geary Woods too. I think that Dustin, who ran a part time schedule last year, will likely be a regular pro stocker with us in 2016. His Dad won our first pro stock championship back in 94 as well as three SpeedWeekend Irving Blending and Packaging 250’s. Oh by the way, Shawn also has won the IWK 250 and a handful of Maritime Pro Stock Tour championships. In my books he’s the greatest New Brunswick stock car driver of all time.Shawn Tucker has turned the keys of the 52 over to his son Dustin. The younger Tucker is pretty excited about carrying on the family racing tradition which was started by his grandfather LeRoy.

It sure is great to see the 37, 81 and 52 back at Speedway 660. I don’t think it’s fair right away to expect Jacob, Ian and Dustin to set the Geary Woods on fire the way their Dad’s did.  But I’ll bet all three are quick learners and with the teachers they’ve got, don’t be surprised to see these boys light er up in the future!

There was lots of great racing during the Riverview Ford Season Opener, but everyone is still wagging their tongues about Courtney O’Blenis. If you were in the Geary Woods on Sunday you probably saw her running side by side with street stock legend Rick Cashol. Courtney was on the low side and Rick was running up high. Looking ahead you could see there was a slow car running the low side and it looked like Courtney was going to have to yield and give Rick the spot.

But that was the farthest thing from her mind. Instead of braking behind the slow car, Courtney gassed her machine going into turn one, muscled Cashol up the track just enough to squeeze between him and the lapped car and ended up taking the spot without dumping Rick in the beach!Courtney O’Blenis (#48) didn’t back down, after racing side-by-side with Rick Cashol, when it appeared she was going to get jammed in behind a slower car. Instead she forced her way up the track and Rick had to yield to his younger competitor.   

After the street stock feature, Rick had a good chuckle about it and complimented Courtney for “the move of the week”. But Rick also said if the shoe was on the other foot, he would have done the same thing. As Hughie Yorke used to say: “That’s Racin”.

Speedway 660 fans of all ages enjoyed the pre-race visit to the pits on Sunday and our youngest fans loved the annual candy scramble. There was a great turn-out for the season opener and I know everyone saw some awesome racing. I’m sure they’ll spread the word and let other folks know about the great times to be had in the Geary Woods!Lots of fans came early last Sunday for a pre-race visit to the pits. They met our drivers, got some treats and later on were treated to some awesome racing.

This coming weekend, we’ll turn on the lights for our first night race of the season. It happens at 6:30PM on Saturday and fans will be get to see more exciting sharp shooter, street stock, sportsman and pro stock action. Everyone is already talking about and anticipating the Best of the Best Pro Stock 150 which is coming right up on June 4^th.Night racing returns to Speedway 660 this Saturday. There’s always lots of great action and an occasional dust-up or two.

Speedway 660 has an action packed schedule that runs right through until SpeedWeekend wraps things up in early September. So if you missed Kids Day and the Riverview Ford Season Opener, I encourage you to come on down to the Geary Woods to see us this weekend. You’ll have a rip-roaring good time, I promise.

We’ll see you at the races!